'The Dark Tower' movie review: Does box-office success translate to a good film?

Facebook/TheDarkTowerScreenshot of Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba in "The Dark Tower" movie.

The movie adaptation of Stephen King's acclaimed novel series "The Dark Tower" has decisively beaten the likes of "Dunkirk" in its opening weekend sales. The mysterious and dark themes, along with popular actors Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, drew audiences in. However, despite its success at the box office, can the movie be deemed as a good one?

"The Dark Tower" has been bounced off of different producers and directors since 2007, which is usually not a good sign for aspiring movies. The script and concept have probably been altered far too many times, which has led the movie to be quite lacking in depth, according to some critics.

This can be disappointing not only for moviegoers but also for avid fans of the books. King is renowned for his detail and impeccable story-telling ability, and critics have deemed that many of the books' strong points have been overlooked in the adaptation.

Furthermore, the movie does not serve as a chronological narrative — rather, it starts somewhere in the middle of the series, making it almost impossible for newcomers to fully appreciate the story.

Fortunately, the movie's saving grace is the strong performances of Elba and McConaughey. The former plays the protagonist Roland Deschain, opposite the latter's antagonist Walter Padick.

Both actors have been consistent in delivering exceptional acting chops no matter what movie they are cast in, and this time is no different. Unfortunately, their presence in the film did not stop critics and fans from expressing their overall disappointment in the film.

One noteworthy perspective from Missoula Independent is that the project itself has too much of a large scope to execute properly. A possible direction that could have been taken was a faithful and accurate depiction of the books, which might lead to a convoluted and dragging three-hour film.

Perhaps the current 95-minute iteration of "The Dark Tower" is a better alternative.